Birds of a Feather
by NamidaNoHao63
Summary: one-shot. Yoh helps Hao after he's broken a promise... but then once he's feeling better, the tables are turned! hao teaches Yoh to fly, and fluff i guess... nonyaoi


here's to back again with yet _another _one-shot. hey, like i said, that fanfic won't be updated for a while, so expect a LOT of one-shots for now XD plus i have a lot written down and waiting to be typed... X3

yeah, everyone knows it, i don't own SK, never have, and never will... XD

* * *

It was a lazy afternoon; Yoh lie there, half asleep in his usual spot -- atop Monument Hill under the tree beside Amidamaru's tomb. He gazed indolently up at the glistening stars embedded in the blanketed night sky, relieved of Anna and her 'special training program' for at least a month or so as she was in Izumo for reasons she kept to herself.

Yoh though back to the time when he first met the small blonde – is best friend. It was at this spot… on a night much like this one. He smiled to himself. He wondered if he should begin to call this place something closer to a meeting ground than anything else; it wouldn't be the first time he'd met someone here… and that certainly wouldn't be the last.

"Yoh, are you there?" a deep rumbling voice called from behind him. He sat upright and glanced around, looking for who he knew to be Amidamaru.

"Yeah, 'm over here, Amidamaru," He indicated gently.

"Ah, I thought I would find you here. And so did someone else. There's somebody here to see you, Yoh-dono."

"M…wah…?" he peeked around in the darkness and found his gazed locked on to another's across the bridge. The other, an unfamiliar figure, glanced down quickly, as if shy, he thought. He couldn't make out the details in the face or anything else for that matter – it was far too dark.

"Who is that?" Yoh asked Amidamaru curiously after a moment of silence and turned to him again; a settled look resided in his soft eyes.

Amidamaru bowed and soared over to the figure across the bridge. Yoh tried not to stare – Amidamaru nearly towered over her (he figured it was a girl by her long hair that gleamed a dark mahogany and nearly touched her ankles). By how gingerly his Guardian Ghost took the shoulder of the person, he seemed to confirm this.

However, quite disposition turned to apprehension as he watched them step into a pool of moonlight. Amidamaru faded away with another bow, leaving the two alone to themselves. The person was male for starters. His rich chocolate-red eyes shone with bright tears; his face reddened slightly, and his shoulders trembled softly.

"Hao..!" Yoh stood quickly, his identity finally clicking in his blank mind. He turned over to face his distraught brother.

"Yoh…?" he muttered back, almost questioningly. His voice was thick, muffled behind the tears that dripped off his soft face. He held down several sobs.

"What's wrong…?" Yoh asked gently, taking a few slow, small steps toward him. He was so fragile it seemed, his slight form reflecting the moon's rays and which showed his frail shoulders shaking. They weren't the only thing; his legs trembled beneath him and his knee gave out: Yoh was just in time beside his brother to catch him lightly.

"Hao?"

Amidamaru wanted to come around again and simply tell his master to hush – to just let him cry. Hao had broken their promise – don't kill _anyone. _He didn't mean to hurt the small girl, he honestly didn't. It was a true accident. He was trying to help her. The young girl, maybe not even 5 yeas of age had been separated and lost her mother and ended up wandering the city until he found her.

Hao had stayed with her, guiding her; helping her find her mommy. All was going smoothly… they were at a cross-road and her mother was just at the other side, and they had smiled at each other, a look of relief and gratefulness on both their faces.

He had taken her hand and took only two ir three steps into the road… and a drunk, going too fast for his own good came speeding down the way. He slammed his fist down on the wheel and a blaring noise filled the air, startling hao badly.

Badly enough to let loose flame from the hands that kept to the young girl's.

The man didn't stop. Hao, apologized to what seemed like three people. The Girl. The Mother. And himself. he attempted to get her away and out of the road the way he was going.

She wouldn't move.

Her arm was badly burned and her hand was blistered because f him. She wasn't going _anywhere _with him. She began to run the opposite direction away from him, and only found the hood of the drunk's car.

The mother blamed Hao.

And so he cried. It was unlike him, but he didn't care. He'd made a promise to Yoh; to his _brother._ He was to abide by it, and he did. Until now, so to speak. He didn't know who to blame for the girl's death. No one? Himself? The drunk? The mother had SCREAMED it was his fault.

And he believed her.

Amidamaru would be sure to tell Yoh all the details later, seeing as Hao wasn't talking at all now whatsoever. Yoh didn't have the Reishi. He didn't know, so he just sat there, holding his brother and letting him cry.

"Hao…" Yoh tried again after a sizable amount of time had passed.

"Hao, you need to calm down… you'll hurt yourself if you don't relax…"

He was trying to be as gentle as he possibly could with him so that he would not become more upset, but as he feared, Hao took it the wrong way and nearly cried harder.

After a moment, his chest and muscles aching from all the sobs and crying, he drew a few uneven, shaky breaths. Yoh smoothed his brother's slightly matted hair which had become so from the hotness of his teary face.

He found it comforting, and calmed himself further. Yoh was now simply intent on stroking through his hair, a bit dazed (sleep deprived…) and unaware it was the reason for his brother's calmness.

Hao's hiccupping sobs trailed off and Yoh dropped his head atop his brother's, caressing him tighter, having the intentions to rock back and fourth with him in his arms for some strange reason.

"Now… tell me what happened…?" Yoh tried quietly in

almost a whisper. Beneath his own he felt Hao's shoulders tense and heard him stifle a mumble, choking it back in his throat. His eyes welled with tears, but Yoh, knowing this, took him from his embrace, turned him to face him, and rubbed them away gently.

"shhh…" he coaxed then, giving him a more bottom-lipped smile.

"It's alright… you don't have to tell me now… just relax, okay…? I'm here for you now…"

His tenderness nearly compelled him to cry harder. He let out a trembling sigh, regaining his composure once more and glanced up at his brother's calm face.

"Yoh…?"

"Yeah?" he muttered casually. Typical Yoh.

"I wanted to… to thank you for being there for me, I…" he paused, fighting past eh iron in his throat.

"I'd be… nothing if I didn't have you as my brother… I know in the past I've said it was the other way around… but… but I…"

"It's okay, Hao. I understand. Don' worry about it." He flashed a smile as Hao pulled away, rubbing his face dry weakly, sighing again unsteadily.

"No, it's not okay, Yoh… I…"

Realization struck him then.

"Hao… did you…break our promise…?" he asked softly.

Fresh tears welled and trickled down his face. He nodded unsteadily.

"I'm sorry…! I tried to help, really I did..! But then she… she… and then…"

"Okay, okay…!" Yoh said, almost frantic.

"Relax…"

He stroked Hao's shoulder lightly, trying to calm him. He lowered his head and gave a little smile, hoping that maybe he would face him. Hao would not. He buried his face in his knees and his shoulders quaked with violent sobs.

Amidamaru's conscious thoughts invaded him then.

'Yoh… it wasn't his fault, he's telling the truth…'

_I know, _he thought back.

_I never doubted it. Tell me all that happened later, ok…?_

Yoh focused on keeping Hao calm most of the time after.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Hours passed. Maybe even half the night and Hao slept against his brother's shoulder while Yoh kept his back upright against the crooked old tree. He stared out to the open skies above. The clouds were a calm shade or blues, and the stars shone through them like then as if at the end of a great, long tunnel. He sighed, thinking about all they had been through… all the times… the stress… the fights… _everything._ He wanted his own time to cry now, thinking on it.

It was a wonder how he had not fallen asleep in that long period of time, and so Amidamaru had taken advantage of it and told him of all that had happened earlier.

"Oh." Yoh mumbled quietly, after he was finished with all his thrilling details. Yoh felt quite bad for his brother then. He set his head down on his, and rested there for a moment, pondering over many other things.

"I can see why he was so upset…"

Dawn broke. Yoh blinked a few times and shielded Hao's eyes rather than his own at first. He needed sleep – not Yoh. Yoh could catch a nap at any time he pleased now that Anna was away for now. Though he wasn't sure about Hao's schedule.

That would have to change.

Yoh jostled Hao's shoulder gently, turning to face him easier.

"Hao… Hao wake up.."

His eyes eased open and he shifted, propping himself up slightly, rubbing his face wearily.

"…? w't time izzit…?" he slurred sleepily.

"It's dawn… but come home with me, you can sleep there…"

He helped his weakened to a stand and escorted him to the inn. Hap was nearly sleep-walking by the time they reached the gates. He was totally unaware of the events around him; even the early morning workmen and women who pointed and stared.

Yoh had ignored them all and continued on casually.

When they arrived, Yoh unlocked the door quietly and slipped inside, now closer to carrying Hao than anything else. He ended up setting the sleeping Hao down on his futon.

On his way back to the kitchen, Yoh tried to ignore the closed and locked door that belonged to Anna. He wondered if she would allow Hao into the house like this…

"Probably not…" he laughed shortly to himself, pulling down a bowl and cereal from the cabinets. Anna was an understanding sort of person. In her… strange, crooked way, she WAS understanding. She brought Amidamaru and Bason back at Saionji Cemetery when Boz attacked… and then let them go save Ren. She could understand if his own brother was distraught, broken and in need… right…?

He stashed the thoughts away and prepared an earlier-morning breakfast for himself.

When he sat down, he sighed heavily, the sound mournful, directed back at him from the echoes in the deep, almost empty walls. He was alone for once, at the table. He wished anyone, _anyone _was there… Ren, Horohoro, Manta… Anna, even; just someone to know was there, and maybe possibly talk to. Manta was at summer school, and was probably still asleep in any case, as would anyone else be.

All that left was Hao.

Yoh sat there quietly, after his breakfast was finished and fell asleep next to it, only to be waking at the sound of clinking dishes long after.

"Hao…You awake…?" he asked groggily, sitting upright slightly.

"yeah." was the soft reply. Hao carried the dishes over to the sink where he deposited and cleaned them.

"Hao?" Yoh was unsure of why he had said his name.

"Yes, Yoh."

He hesitated. Without a real reason to speak in the first place, what was he going to say now? 'Oh, sorry, I just felt like saying your name'? Hao wouldn't take it, he'd be apprehensive.

"…are you feeling better now?"

"…yeah."

Silence then.

"…it's midday, Yoh. How long have you been asleep? Do you want to go lie down and rest more…?" he felt the tenderness in his own voice and it nearly made him want to cry again. He was unsure why, but he liked it. It was good to let go of his emotions once in a while; the… less violent side of them, anyway.

"No, I'm ok, thanks."

An even longer silence.

Hao's eyes settled weakly and he took a seat at the other side of the table and he let his head down in his arms, his forehead against them. He didn't think he looked too bad as he felt or anything, but Yoh sure saw it.

"Are you ok…?" he asked quietly as if he would wake someone upstairs.

"I feel hot…" Hao mumbled from his arms.

"Pick you head up," Yoh nearly demanded, leaning across the table. When his brother looked up, he just about froze in his place. Hao's face was very red; he didn't have to check his forehead for a fever, he already knew it.

"Maybe you should go lay down again," Yoh muttered, pulling back slightly, his eyes concerned.

Hao had no objections. He could almost feel his own face as if it were ablaze. He led himself upstairs, but Yoh trailed closely behind him up the stairs, as if thinking he would fall any moment. He did, anyway, right into the futon the second it was in sight and close enough.

To Yoh, it seemed like he collapsed into it, as if relieved.

"If you need anything, just call; I'll be there."

Hao mumbled an attempt at a 'yes', and he gave a hardly noticeable nod as the lazy, still concerned brunette slid the door to a close, only to leave a slight crack.

Night fell again, and he found Hao wandering the hall.

"Hao! what are you doing up…?"

"I can't sleep," he answered dully, almost in a restless way. He was fidgeting uneasily in the darkness as if he were a caged dog.

"I wanna go outside."

Not surprising for someone who _lived _for the time he did.

"But Hao—" He began to protest, and thought better.

"Well… maybe fresh air will be better for you than the stuffy kind we got in here."

With that, he took Hao's back and returned him to Monument Hill, to the very same place as the night before. When they arrived, Hao nestled himself into the crooked tree, staring up.

His mind was soaring. He thought of the poor helpless child yesterday. No, not poor.

How she must be flying by now…

He gave a small sigh, pulling in closer to Yoh, wondering what it would be like to fly. To fly _freely,_ anyway.

Before long, both boys were silent, captivated by the shimmering stars so high above them.

"Yoh…" Hao mumbled, and for a moment it was as if he said his name just to say it.

"What is it?"

"…have you ever…wanted to fly…?"

Yoh glanced over to his brother to see if he were serious or not. He saw the full moon's rays on his smooth, peaceful face, realizing how deep in thought he was; far too deep to be asking as if it were a joke. He wondered what had brought the question on.

"To fly..?"

"Yeah."

"I dunno…" Yoh thought about it for a moment silently. He gazed back up at the stars again.

"Have you?"

"No, because I already have…" his voice trailed off the moment he realized what he said. It was Yoh's sudden thought that nearly stopped him completely.

'_You mean because you were dead before… and saw everything from a different view. As if in flight.'_

"I-I can teach you too," he almost decided to keep his mouth shut.

After a moment, Yoh understood what he was trying to say and rolled over to face him.

"You can?"

Hao faced him, relieved he knew now he had no intention of showing him the… star sanctuary.

"Sure."

They both stood, and Hao took his brother's hand in his. He noticed before he began, how beaten and torn they were. No doubt from Anna's special torture…err, _training _program.

He closed his eyes, calming himself and it overcame Yoh as well as he sent furyoku pulsating through his brother. It shocked him at first, as it coursed through him in waves.

He felt a small pressure against his shoulders for a second and a faint throb against his back. He glanced back at the cause.

Wings.

Large, feathered, black. Magnificent; his own. They were Oversoul, but still… his own _wings_.

Of course he had not the slightest clue of how to use them, or where to even begin with them, but he straightened his shoulders, allowing them to stand elegantly against him.

Hao released his hand and stepped back, smiling softly, assuringly. It confused the brunette, and he returned a doubtful look. It was as if both wanted to speak at once.

"Step up— "

"W-wait, Hao…!"

"Open your wings—"

"Hao!"

"Push down with your shoulders—"

"Please! Hao...!" Yoh pressed forward, taking Hao's arms like a frightened child.

"Hm? What is it…?"

"I don't think it's a good idea…" he pleaded, wanting to cry in frustration.

"Please…! Can we go home…? I don't want to do this anymore…"

"Are you afraid…?" Hao muttered questioningly.

Yoh nodded, tears in his eyes, in lips pressed together. He clung to Hao's arms and let his head down.

"Shh…" he mumbled, giving him a quick embrace.

"…do you want me to come with you…?"

He gave a small shake of the head. He feared for his brother. He knew he hadn't used an Oversoul like this for a long time, and he didn't want him to risk it. He was already using his brother's furyoku anyway.

"Alright… but relax, ok…? You won't be able to do it if you're crying…" Hao rubbed the side of his face gently, taking away the tears.

"Listen to me, ok? Face me…"

Yoh did what he was told and looked directly into his deep, rich chocolate eyes, despite the tears that fell from his own.

"Open your wings and push down with your shoulders…" he instructed softly.

"They will take you. And I promise… I _promise; _I won't let you fall… I won't let you get hurt… "

_They will take you… _

Yoh nodded, taking a shallow breath through the drying tears. He rubbed his cheek with the palm of his hand and pulled his wings upward, a bit shakily at first. His shoulders went down… and he felt no connection to the ground in moments. He figured feeling no weight of the earth would be comforting…

To him it was the opposite.

He seemed to float up, and no matter how he tried to decipher Hao's assuring smile, it was always calm. Never afraid for him, though surely he knew the fear he felt.

Yoh moved with the winds, upward, relaxing if for even just a moment until he realized how far up away from Hao he was. He held his arm down to him, though knowing they would not reach.

"Niichan… what happens if I can't… reach you anymore…?"

"Kiss the sun."

* * *

a wierd ending, i know, but hey! it doesn't hurt to review X3 


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